The easy way to find a restaurant,find dining offers,find an event,find inspiration,make a booking
Share

Water, Water Everywhere

The key to a thriving restaurant scene is diversity. There would be probably be few dissenters to that statement: eating out should suit all pockets, cultures, age ranges, whims and fancies and it would be fair to say that we're getting there. Never have we seen such a multifarious range of food options strewn across our fair land.

But when it comes to drinking out, the choice is still remarkably narrow. Granted, we have come a long way, baby, from the Fawlty Towers days of a stiff G & T and a sweet sherry for the lady to accompany our dinner of choice, but have we really come far enough? Visit a place to eat anywhere and you'll most likely find a drinks list composed of globally-sourced wines, a few beers and liqueurs – leaving one market unfairly ignored, the non-drinker.

Would it be fair to say that these days we are drinking less alcohol than ever when we eat out? There are plenty of obstacles in the way of a couple of glasses of wine: increasingly stringent drink-drive laws, government guidelines on 'safe' alcohol limits, advice on drinking while on medication or when pregnant and those who choose not to drink at all. And yet who can point out the restaurant or pub that caters for this expanding demographic of our society? It seems non-drinkers are faced with an array of soft drinks (which can never be said to complement food of any kind other than breakfast) or water -- and that's your lot.

On behalf of all non-drinkers out there, we'd like to make a plea for a more varied alcohol-free list. Believe it or not, palatable non-alcoholic wines are out there as are – gasp – non-alcoholic spirit substitutes; all we have to do is ask for them. They're naturally cheaper than their fermented cousins, they're mostly screw-top so keeping quality is maintained and – most importantly – the tee-totallers amongst us might not feel so dispirited when faced with the choice of yet another orange juice, fizzy drink or sparkling water.

What do you think? Are you a non-drinker that struggles with a surfeit of Diet Coke in the pub? Do you long for something marginally more exciting than tap water to accompany your expensive meal out? Or is there a restaurant or pub near you that actually caters to the non-drinking public – and is the stuff drinkable?

Comments

Barry Ali - June 15, 2010

Interesting Article - like many people I feel we have limited choices when it comes to Low/Non alcoholic options in restaurants & pubs. I'm sure they are there, but not really promoted, so we are left to the usual offerings of diet cokes & J2o's (& where you can get them the Kaliber & the odd 'lite' beer brands but they usually retail at such inflated prices they drive you back to the 'Real Ales'. ) Harder times maybe upon us in the immediate future and if restaurants/pubs wish to flourish & retain custom a better choice of low alcohol ( & better priced -we all see what we can get in a supermarket) drinks maybe a way forward. This may encourage custom in both the restaurants & the pubs where the 'one drink' drivers who may stay & spend a little longer.

Lynda Thorne - June 12, 2010

A very good article. I'm not tee-total, but there are times that I drive, so no alcohol for me on that occasion. And yes how I would like a pleasant tasting non-alcoholic beverage, which would compliment my food. J2O mango and apple doesn't slide down the palate very easily with a blue steak!

John - June 12, 2010

I like the Australian ' bring your own' idea . Be it soft drinks or alcoholic drinks. We would all dine out more if drinks where a sensible price. Just compare the price in the restaurant with your local supermarket.. These sort of articles are very welcome.

Yvan - June 4, 2010

I have noticed an improvement in Soft Drinks recently in the pubs and restaurants I frequent. My local has started serving a range of Fentimans Soft Drinks - Seville Orange, Curosity Cola and Ginger Beer. Even my local wetherspoons is serving Root Beer, cloudy lemonade and ginger beer. The problem with most restaurants and pubs is that they don't show on their menus/drinks list what non-alcholic drinks they have available. Most people will not ask so opt for the safe option of diet coke or J2O. The same applies to bottled beers in pubs, you can see a great range behind the bar. But you can't quite make out what they are, and you don't want to harass the overworked barmaid. So will just go for a pint of Fosters or Boddingtons. Come on Restaurants and Pubs - Show us What you have got!!

Chris - June 4, 2010

I totally agree with this blog Depending on where you go there can be very limited selections of drink for the non drinker, then again I have been to certain restaurants where the selection of soft drinks is far greater than the alcohol selection. So I suppose it comes down to you picking a restaurant that caters for both the non drinkers & the drinkers, a happy medium If I was to recommend anyware for this it would have to be the Cartford Inn in Great Eccleston. This place does have a large range of both soft & Alcoholic drinks.

Peter Kinsella - June 2, 2010

You need to come to Lunya. Huge range of Luscombe Farm Organic drinks: Hot Ginger Beer, strawberry Lemonade, Raspberry and Vanilla Lemonade, St Clements (orange and lemon), Sicilian Lemonade, Apple and Pear, Apple and Apricot, apple, Elderflower bubbly, blueberry and damascus rosewater. There's probably more, but run out of steam!